Spectacle temple



April 1,1924.. ,1,488,496-

P. H. HERBERT SPECTACLE TEMPLE Filed June 20. 1923 Patented pr. 1, 1924.

Y, uNiri-:nsrres Peteur orriee-g PITT` H. HERBERT, or soUTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE As- SIGNMENTS, 'ro BAUsCH AND LOMB OPTICAL COMPANY, or ROCHESTER, New

YORK, A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

SPECTACLE TEIVIPLE,

Applicationvfiled June 20, 1923. Serial No. 646,598.

T 0 all whom 'it may concer/n `Be it known that I, Prrr H. HERBERT, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Southbridge, in the county of forcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Spectacle Temples, of which the following is a specification.

The present'invention, though having also other fields of application, is more particularly related to/spectacle temples.

Spectacle temples are adapted to be hinged to the lens-carrying frame at their forward ends, and to engage the skull or behind the ear at their rear ends. rlfhe rear ends should therefore. be flexible, else they wouldbind uncomfortablyagainst some portion of the wearers head. They should not, on the other hand, be too flexible, because theycould not then perform their required function of holding the lens-carrying frame in place. The well known, metal, cable temple serves the p-urpose well. If the lenscarrying frame lis constituted of zylonite or. other non-metallic material, however, it is not practicable to employ a metal temple; and temples constituted of non-metallic material' have generally been stiff and unyielding, often causing the wearer much discomfort.

It is therefore an object ofI the present invention to provide a spectacle temple having the appearance of zylonite or other nonmetallic material, the rear portions of which shall be flexible. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

lVith these objects in view, a feature. of the invention resides in reinforcing a nonmetallic tube with a metal or other flexible wire, and coiling the tube with the reinforcing; wire therein into the form of a helix'. The'resulting product has the appearance of the non-metallic material, but is flexible both longitudinally and transversely.

The invention will now be described more specifically in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of a. spectacle temple constructed according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, p-art being shown in section; Fig. 2 is a similar enlarged fragmentary view of a modification; and Figs. 3 and 4 are views illustrating the manufacture of the temple of the prese-nt invention.

Spectacle temples usually comprise a forward portion 2 at the Vforward end ft of which the temple-is adapted to `be hinged to a lens-carrying frame (not shown), and a rear portion 6 that is adapted to engage some part of the head of the wearer, as the skull, or behind the car. The'temple shown in the drawings is of the Anon-metallic type, with the rear portion flexible. The forward portion-2 may also be rendered flexible., if desired.

Flexibility is attained, according to the present invention, and without destroying the non-metallic appearance ofthe temple,

by coiling anon-metallic tube 8 into the form of avhelix, as shown.V Such a tube will be flexible both longitudinally and t.ransversely. As such a helix may prove to be too flexible for ordinary purposes, it is preferred to mount a reinforcing metal or other wire 1()4 in the tube before coili'ng it. Depending upon the nature of the wire 10, the temple may be given ust the degree of iiexibility desired. The helix is then bent into the desired shape, the ear-engaging type being illustrated in Figs. 1 and2. lVhether or not the reinforcing wire 10 is employed, a .reinforcing rod 12 may be mounted in the helix before bending the helix to the desired shape. The reinforcing rod 12 may be 4particularly desirable if the forward portion 2 and the rear portion 6 both are constituted of a helix, as described;

or the reinforcing rod 12 may be constituted of another helix, of more or less flexible material, as desired. In fact, if it is desired that the forward portion of the temple be constituted of metal, the rod 1.2 may'itself serve as such metal.

l It is preferred, however, to have the for.

ward portion 2 constituted of a non-metallic member, such as is ordinarily employed in non-metallic spectacle temples, and as is illustrated :in Figs. 1 and 2. The forward portion 2 and the rear portion 6 must then be connected together in some suitable and efficient manner. According to the preferred construction illust-rated, the rear end 14 of the non-metallic member 2 is provided with an opening 16 within which the forward end 18 of the helix is secured. This may be done in any desired manner, as by crimping the non-metallic material of the member 2 near the end 14:4 over against the forp Ward portion 18 of the helix with the aid of heat and pressure. In case a reinforcing rod 12is employed, the non-metallic member 2 may be bored at 20 to form a tube, and the rod' 12 may be extended through the bore 2O of the tube, to reinforce'not only the helix, but the non-metallic member 2 aswell.

The rear end of the temple may beprovided tube, the tub@` with the wire therein being coiled into the form of a helix and the helix being bent to the shape of -a temple.

2. A' spectacletemple comprising a forward portion and arear portion, the rear portioncomprising a. non-metallic tube and 'a reinforcing wire mounted within the tube, the tube with the Wire therein being coiled into the form of a helix andthe helix being bent to the shape of a temple, the temple being adapted to be hinged at the forward end.

A spectacle temple comprising a tube, a wire mounted within the tube, the tube with the Wire therein being coiled into the Y form of a'helix, and a reinforcing rod Within the helix, the helix and the reinforcing rod therein being bent to the shape of a temple.

4. A spectacle temple comprising a forward portion endL a rear portion, the rear Vportion comprising a non-metallic tube and a reinforcing Wire mounted Within the tube.

the tube with the Wire therein being coiled into the form of a helix, and a reinforcing rod Within the helix, the helix end the reinforcing rod therein ,being bent to the shape of a temple, and the templeV being adapted to be hinged at the forward end.

A spectacletemple 'comprising a for- Ward portion and a rear portion, the for- Werd portion comprising a non-metal1ic tube and the rear portion comprising a nonmetallic tube and a reinforcing Wire mounted Within the tube, the tube with the Wire therein being coiled into the form of a helix, and a reinforcing rod within the tube ywith an opening and the rear portion comprising a non-metallic tube and a, reinforcing Wire mounted Within the tube, the tube With the Wire therein being coiled into the form of a helix and the helix being bent to the shape of a temple, the forwardend of the helix being secured within the opening,

and the temple being adapted to be hinged at 'the rforward end.

7. A spectacle temple comprising a nonmetallic tube coiled into the form of a helix,

the helix being bent to Ithe shape of a'temple, K

and the temple being adapted to be hinged at the forward end.

8. A spectacle temple'icomprising a non metallic tube coiled into the form of athelix,

and a reinforcing rod 'Within the helix, the

helix and the reinforcing rod Itherein being bent to the shape of a temple, and the temple being adapted to behinged at thev for- Y Ward end.

9. .An article of the class described comprising a non-metallic. tube and a reinforcing wire mounted within the tube, the: -tube with the -Wire therein being coiled into the Y form of a. helix.v f

10. An article of the class described comprising a non-metallic tube, a reinforcing wire mounlted within the tube, the tube With the Wire therein being coiled into the form of a helix, and a reinforcing ro-d WithinV the helix, the helix and the reinforcing rod therein being bent transversely.

11. A spectacle temple comprising a. tube coiled into the form of a` helix, 'the helix being bent to the shape of a temple, and the temple beingl adapted to be hinged ,at rthe forward end. Y ,n

12. .i spectacle temple Vcomprising-afor- Ward portion and a rear portion, `the rear portion comprising e. tube coiled `into-the form of a helix, the helix being bent to the shape of a temple, and. the-.temple .being adapted to be hinged at the forward end.

In testimony-whereof, I have khereunto subscribed my name this 14th day ofJune, 

